International Laboratory Head Completes Academic Visit to Fudan University

From March 8 to 14, 2026, Evgeny M. Styrin, Head of the International Laboratory, undertook an academic visit to Fudan University’s Institute for Global Public Policy. 

The visit focused on strengthening institutional ties, identifying new areas for collaboration, and expanding academic exchange in the fields of public policy, governance, and digital transformation.

During the visit, discussions with Dean Professor Yija Djing helped define promising new directions for cooperation between the institutions. The program also included meetings with leading Fudan scholars working in the areas of Russian studies, digital governance, and public administration.

As part of the academic program, Professor Styrin delivered two lectures. The first, “Research on Digital Transformation in the Context of a Multilevel Public Governance System: The Case of Russia,” was presented to undergraduate and graduate students of the Institute, as well as students specializing in Russian studies. He also held discussions with Professor Bin Ma, who leads the Russia studies platform at Fudan University.

A second lecture, “Digital Transformation of the Public Governance System: A Multilevel Model for Russia,” was delivered to faculty members and professors. The lecture sparked discussion on current approaches to governance reform and the role of digital technologies in improving public administration.

The visit also opened new opportunities for joint research. In particular, Professor Zhiteng Fan, an associate editor of Global Public Policy and Governance and a scholar publishing in leading journals on digital governance, proposed a collaborative research initiative.

A key outcome of the discussions was the shared recognition that there remains insufficient comparative research on the systems of public governance in Russia and China, especially in relation to the development of digital technologies and their use in building effective digital and platform-based public services.

Another important topic was the current publishing environment for Russian scholars. In a meeting with Professor Li Tang, participants discussed the challenges Russian researchers face in accessing internationally ranked academic journals. Professor Tang is currently studying the barriers to such publications, with particular attention to the diverse experiences of Russian academics.

The visit is expected to support the partner institute’s participation in summer schools, as well as student and researcher exchanges between Fudan University and the Higher School of Economics in the area of politics and public administration. The parties also highlighted the potential for involving the business community in partnerships with the state through digital technologies, and expressed interest in further research on digital public-private partnerships in Russia and China.